The present invention relates to a clutch with a pressure plate and counter plate, wherein the pressure plate can be displaced by a clutch actuation mechanism, so that a clutch disk can be clamped between the pressure plate and counter plate. The present invention relates, in addition, to a double clutch with a drive-side sub-clutch and a transmission-side sub-clutch.
According to prior art, the pressure plate of a clutch is cast from one piece and has a central ring body and links that extend outward in the radial direction and by which the pressure plate is connected to the actuation system. Thus, for example, the pressure plate of the drive-side sub-clutch of a double clutch has links that are connected (e.g., riveted) to a tie rod that can be displaced in the axial direction by a plate spring/lever spring.
Therefore, because the links reach out in the radial direction for the riveting of the tie rod by the friction face, during operation, flexural or tensile stresses occur in the base area of the links that lead to the result that the pressure plate could burst. The occurring flexural or tensile stresses are here dependent on rotational speed, wherein, due to manufacturing tolerances and influences in operation, the bursting rotational speed of the pressure plate could vary significantly.
In addition, the geometry of the pressure plate is difficult to manufacture with the links in terms of casting. Pores and cavities that lead to high defect rates appear especially in the transition region of the links into the ring body of the pressure plate due to the differences in the diameters between the links and central ring body.